Tiantong Temple

Tiantong temple was built in the Western Jin Dynasty, one of the five famous temples of Zen, known as the "southeast Buddhist kingdom". It is a grand ten square forest of Zen, with thousands of couplets and bases.

The existing scale of Tiantong Temple basically maintains the pattern of Ming Dynasty. The layout of the whole building group is rigorous, the structure is exquisite, the primary and secondary are clear, and the density is appropriate. The majestic main halls, such as the heavenly king hall, the Buddha Hall, the Dharma hall, the Sutra collection building, and the arhat hall, are successively located on the broad platform built on the mountain. One hall is higher than the other, and it is magnificent. According to the traditional architectural form of ancient China, each hall has double eaves and pavilions, painted pillars and carved beams, which is solemn and simple, becoming the "central axis" of the ancient temple.

Tiantong Temple

Tiantong temple, located at the foot of Taibai Mountain, 25 kilometers east of Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, was built in the first year of Yongkang (300 years) of the Western Jin Dynasty. It is one of the five famous mountains of Zen Buddhism and is known as the "southeast Buddhist kingdom".

The temple covers an area of 76400 square meters, with a construction area of 38800 square meters. There are more than 30 halls, halls, buildings, pavilions, pavilions, squatters, and more than 999 rooms. The temple is located at the foot of Taibai Mountain, where there are many peaks. There are six peaks in the East, West and North. The main peak on the back is Taibai peak; on the left is Dongfeng, Zhongfeng and Rufeng; on the right is Boyu peak, which is round and protruding. It looks like a covered bowl and Yuqi peak, which is steep and precipitous, and looks like a banner. Only in the south, TianKuo mountain is far away, and a lush Wansong Avenue welcomes guests to make pilgrimage to the mountain.

Historical evolution

During the Western Jin Dynasty

In the year of Yongkang (AD 300) of the Western Jin Dynasty, Yixing, a monk, traveled to the East Valley of Nanshan in the Huijun County of Yangzhou (today's Yinzhou). Because he loved the mountains and waters, he settled here for cultivation. It is said that there was no one smoking near Donggu at that time, but a boy came to give his salary every day. Soon after the jingshe was built, the boy said to master Yixing, "I'm Taibai Jinxing, because the master is so devoted to Taoism that he moved the Jade Emperor and ordered me to turn into a boy to protect him.". I'd like to leave now that I'm finished. After all, the boy disappeared. Thus the mountain is named Taibai and the temple Tiantong.

During the Tang Dynasty

In the 20th year of Kaiyuan in Tang Dynasty (732 AD), monk Faxuan rebuilt the Taibai Valley, which is called "Taibai jingshe". Today, people call it ancient Tiantong.

In the second year of Zhide period of Tang Dynasty (757 AD), Seng zongbi and Xian Cong moved to Taibai jingshe under Taibai peak, which is today's Tong Temple and has become a forest of Zen Buddhism.

In 841, the first year of Huichang in Tang Dynasty, Xinjing Zen master was the abbot of Tiantong temple. He founded zhenmang pagoda and further expanded the temple. In Song Dynasty, it was listed as one of the five major temples of Zen.

During the Song Dynasty

Chinese Zen became more and more prosperous in the Song Dynasty, and reached its peak in the Southern Song Dynasty. Tiantong temple also became a famous temple of Zen. In the fourth year of Jingde (1007 A.D.), Emperor Zhenzong granted "Tiantong Jingde Temple". After emperor Shenzong ascended the throne, only the white monk asked, and three times he ascended the throne. And in the eighth year of Yuanfeng (1085 AD), he was given a suit of white gold and purple. In the first year of Jingguo (1101 AD), Emperor Weizong granted the name of "Buddhist Zen master" to Weibai, and made the preface of Weibai xudeng in Tiantong Jingde temple. In the third year of Jianyan (1129 A.D.), Zen master Zhengjue lived in the mountain for 30 years. He revived the style of Cao Dongzong and lived in Tiantong temple for more than 1000 monks. In 1134, a monk's hall with a capacity of 1000 people was built in Shaoxing, with 14 rooms, 20 frames, three corridors and two patios, 200 feet in length and 16 feet in width. Then the mountain gate was expanded to become a towering Pavilion for worshiping thousands of Buddhas. China Construction lushenage, next to the 53 good wisdom like, known as the "Thousand Buddha Pavilion.". In the fifth year of Chunxi reign (1178 A.D.), Shi Hao, the right prime minister, yongguogong, invited emperor Xiaozong to give the temple "Taibai Mountain". In the fourth year of the reign of Shaoxi (1193 AD), the Zen master Xu'an expanded the thousand Buddha Pavilion, and jiugongzhucai lived through three cold seasons. After the expansion, the Qianfo Pavilion is three stories high and 12 feet high. It's different from other places, hidden in the sky, and southeast of honglijia. During the reign of Jiading (1208-1224 AD), Shi Miyuan, the right Prime Minister of the grand master, asked to fix the "five mountains and ten temples of the Chan yuan", and Tiantong Chan temple was listed as the third of the five mountains.

During the Yuan Dynasty

Yuan Dade three years (AD 1301), Emperor Chengzong gave thousand Buddha Pavilion for the court Yuanbao Pavilion, after the hall. In the 19th year of Zhizheng (1359 A.D.), Zen master Yuanliang rebuilt the Yuanbao Pavilion and cast ten thousand bronze Buddhas for the pavilion. Next to the pavilion, there was a second floor with a left Hongzhong and a right wheel. The pavilion was covered with smoke and clouds and was resplendent. There is a poem praising: "clouds from Mount Taibai, incense from the court yuan floating.". In the 20th year of Zhizheng (1360 AD), Emperor Shun granted Yuanliang Zen master the title of "shanjue Puguang Xiangshi".

During the Ming Dynasty

When the name of Tianxia temple was established in 1382, it was named Tiantong temple,

In the Qing Dynasty, it was called "the second mountain of the five mountains of Chinese Zen" together with Jinshan Temple in Zhenjiang, Tianning Temple in Changzhou and Gaomin temple in Yangzhou. Tour guide: after completion, it was repeatedly damaged. In 1631 (the fourth year of Chongzhen), it was rebuilt. It built the Buddha Hall, Tianwang hall, Fatang hall, xianjue hall, etc., with a total of 999 temples.

During the reign of Shenzong, the temple suffered a historic disaster. On July 21, the 15th year of Wanli (1587 AD), there was a huge flood in Yin county. The storm broke out and the mountain torrent broke out. The temple of Tiantong Temple collapsed and there was no gravel left. The abbot of Nian Nian Dong rebuilt his palace on the ruins.

In the fourth year of Chongzhen (1631 AD), the abbot of Miyun Chan, Tiantong, made great efforts to revive it. In the eighth year of Chongzhen (1653 AD), the temple of Buddha and the temple of heavenly king were built, followed by the hall of FA, the hall of xianjue, the pavilion of Sutra collection and the hall of abbot In 1637, the West Chan hall and the East and west two guest halls were built; in 1640, the East Chan hall, the Xinxin hall, the jueguang Pavilion and the huizhao building were built; the Wangong pool was dredged and the seven pagodas were built. All the projects were completed, which laid the foundation for the scale and pattern of today's temple.

It was the heyday of the temple at that time. The existing qianseng pot, which was cast in 1641 A.D., has a diameter of 2.36 meters, a depth of 1.07 meters and a weight of 4000 kg.

During the Qing Dynasty

In 1659 A.D., Emperor Shizu summoned monks and Taoists to enter the temple and gave them three clothes, yellow clothes and Yuanyun Satin robes. In the following year, he gave Qian liang of money to rebuild the Buddhist temple, granted the name of "HongJue Zen master" and a silver seal, weighing 40 Liang. Fang Guang's seal is about three inches. On the right is the seal of "HongJue Zen master" in Han seal script. On the left is a line engraved in Manchu, giving three clothes, five clothes, seven clothes, Huang Zuyi, Gong Daopao, Chenxiang Daopao, Qianjin clothes, Jiayi, etc. There is a poem written by the Yushu monk, which says: "the heart turns with the world, and the place can be quiet. With the flow of recognition, there is no joy or enthusiasm.

”In the 44th year of Kangxi reign (1709 AD), Emperor Shengzu granted Tiantong temple a pagoda of Heart Sutra with gold characters. It is recorded next to Kangxi's second year of life, which was written in the boat in February. In May, they were given a volume of Heart Sutra, a monk's poem and four pieces of white silk. In front of the temple's Buddha Hall, there are the tablet of "respecting Buddha" written by Emperor Shunzhi of Qing Dynasty, the tablet of "Mingxiang qingfan" written by Emperor Kangxi, and the tablet of "Ciyun dense" written by Emperor Yongzheng. There are more than 30 inscriptions in the temple in song, yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

In 1733 A.D., Emperor Shizong granted the imperial script "Ci Yun Mi bu" with a plaque and a column couplet, a praise to Sakya, and a Guanyin verse.

In the 28th year of Guangxu (1902 AD), after jichan monk abbot, he changed the system of succession of Abbot in Shifang jungle into the system of selecting sages in Shifang jungle, which is called the system of selecting sages in Shifang jungle. This system is a progress in the history of Abbot in jungle.

During the period of the Republic of China

In 1930-1936, master Yuan Ying, the leader of Chinese Buddhism, made the ancient temple more majestic. He presided over the casting of a large bronze bell with a height of 2.76 meters and a lower diameter of 1.86 meters. The face of the bell was cast with 81 volumes of Huayan Sutra, weighing 15000 Jin. It is now hung on the clock tower.

After liberation

After the founding of new China, Tiantong temple has been protected by the people's government, and the monks have been doing their homework in the temples, cleaning them up with dignity, participating in meditation, and not abolishing the ancient rules. At the same time, we should carry forward the fine tradition of "attaching equal importance to agriculture and Zen" and participate in agricultural production. In 1966, the "Cultural Revolution" began. Soon after, temples were used for other purposes, and Buddha statues were destroyed. In 1979, with the approval of the State Council and funding for restoration, the ancient temple regained its splendor and the torch revived. The monks of the whole temple chanted Buddhist scriptures and worshiped Buddhism in the morning and evening, and studied the three treasures of Shaolong.

Introduction to scenic spots

Shaobailing

Shaobailing is the only place to visit Tiantong temple. Shaobai mountain has five Buddha town Python tower, commonly known as Shaobai tower. According to legend, during the reign of Huichang in Tang Dynasty (841-846), there was a boa constrictor who engulfed pedestrians. Zen master Xinjing lured and killed people with stone steamed bread. It was under the tower, so it was commonly known as tiesheguan.

Deep diameter back loosening

It is one of the ten sceneries of Tiantong. It is about 1.5 km from Fuhu pavilion to Jingqian Pavilion. On both sides of the deep path, the thousand year old pines pierce the sky. Yuan Kui of the Southern Song Dynasty wrote: "thirty miles in front of Taibai peak, the ancient pines play Yu Sheng; the clear and beautiful scenery match each other, but the mountain is not envied."

Fenggang Xiuzhu

At the foot of the east mountain of the temple, beside the path, there is a green bamboo forest, covering the clouds. When the mountain wind rises, the beautiful bamboo dances and shadows. It is said that there was fenglaiyi, so it is called "Fenggang Xiuzhu", and it is also one of the "ten sceneries of Tiantong". Summer comes here, cool and refreshing. On this road, there is a customs clearance bridge. The water from the mountain converges in the Wangong pool and flows through the customs clearance bridge

Chinese PinYin : Tian Tong Si